My husband, my mother-in-law, and myself are all embarking on a journey to return to a more simple and self-sufficient way of life. I will be recording our exploits as well as recipes and directions for all the things that I am to be doing.

   I will be making my own soap (including shampoos, bubble bath, liquid hand soaps and bar soaps), baking my own bread, making my own candles, and when we get a cow I will be making cheese, butter and all sorts of other things. I will also be making bath oils, body scrubs, lip balms and lotions eventually.

   So far, we've started with chickens. We have five Black Astrelorp (not sure if I'm spelling that one right) hens and next spring we will at least triple that number. We are also getting rabbits and turkeys next spring. Levi (my husband) wants to get two or three pigs next spring as well. The cow probably won't happen until the year after next.

   We are also going to start building a house soon. We would like to install a windmill and drill a well when that happens...but that is still a little ways off.

   Please join us on this journey. There are sure to be triumphs and mishaps, laughter and tears. And maybe I can be a help to others who want to do what we're doing...